1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ink jet printer head and a method for fabricating the same. This ink jet printer head uses a piezoelectric member as an actuator to eject ink.
2. Description of the Background
An ink jet printer head fabricating method as a background of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 4.
This ink jet printer head fabricating method comprises the following first to seventh steps.
(1) First Step
First, as shown in FIG. 4(A), a laminate substrate 44 of a two-layer structure is fabricated by bonding two plate-like piezoelectric members 42 and 43. The piezoelectric members 42 and 43, which are polarized in the plate thickness direction, are bonded together so that the respective polarization directions are opposite to each other.
(2) Second Step
Next, as shown in FIG. 4(B), grinding is performed for the laminate substrate 44 to form plural grooves 45 having a depth reaching the interior of the piezoelectric member 43 in a surface of the piezoelectric member 42, and support walls 46 each positioned between adjacent grooves 45. The grinding is performed using, for example, a dicing saw or a diamond wheel, which are used in cutting an IC wafer. The size of each groove 45 is determined, for example, in accordance with the specification of an ink jet printer head 41.
(3) Third Step
Then, as shown in FIG. 4(C), by an electroless plating method using a wet process, electrodes 47 are formed on surfaces of the grooves 45 and wiring patterns 48 are formed on a plane of the piezoelectric member 42.
(4) Fourth Step
Further, as shown in FIG. 4(D), a top plate 49 having a recess is bonded to the surface side (the piezoelectric member 42 side) of the laminate substrate 44 so as to cover the grooves 45 serving as ink flowing passages and also cover the support walls 46, thereby forming pressure chambers and a common ink chamber. In this way there is formed a head 41a. 
(5) Fifth Step
Next, as shown in FIG. 4(E), in order to obtain a predetermined pressure chamber length, an end face of the head 41a, which end face is located on an open side of the grooves 45, is cut off using a dicing saw.
(6) Sixth Step
At this time, since burrs of the electrodes 47 formed in the grooves 45 is generated in a cut section of the head 41a, the burrs are removed by lapping or grinding.
(7) Seventh Step
Then, as shown in FIG. 4(F), an orifice plate 52 preformed with plural ink ejecting holes 51 corresponding to the grooves 45 is bonded to the head 41a to afford an ink jet printer head 41.
In the above ink jet printer head fabricating method, the head 41a is cut off with a dicing saw or the like on the side where it is bonded to the orifice plate 52, in order to form predetermined pressure chambers, (the fifth step). Since, in the cut section of the laminate substrate 44, there occur such burrs of the electrodes 47 as shown in FIG. 5, the burrs are removed by lapping or grinding (the sixth step).
However, if an attempt is made to remove the burrs by lapping, there occur chipping and cracking in the portions of the grooves 45 and support walls 46 which portions face the cut section of the laminate substrate, as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, it is impossible to remove the burrs completely. Likewise, if an attempt is made to remove the burrs by grinding, the burrs of the electrodes 47 will be enlarged, with consequent fear of the burrs being bent inwards of the grooves 45, as shown in FIG. 7.
It has turned out that if the orifice plate 52 is bonded to the head 41a in such a state, burrs 47a may project into or completely close the ink ejecting holes 51. When ink was ejected from the ink jet printer head 41 in such a state, there occurred defects in ink ejection such as misdirection, i.e., failure to make a straight flying of ink droplets, or unstable flying or non-flying of ink.